Leyte mass grave case | SOCO team leader admits ‘lapses’ in probe

Police Superintendent Herardo Hermosilla, head of the SOCO team, admitted before the court that his team did not do the digging of the alleged skeletal remains and that he does not know who did it.

By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat

MANILA — The head of the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) team that investigated the alleged mass graves in Inopacan, Leyte admitted in court what defense lawyers called as “lapses” in criminal investigation procedures.

Police Superintendent Herardo Hermosilla, head of the SOCO team, took the witness stand today, Aug. 10 before the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 32. The prosecution presented boxes of alleged skeletal remains of victims of communist purge during the 1980s.

More than 70 were charged with murder in connection with the Leyte mass graves including consultants of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) such as Benito Tiamzon, Wilma Tiamzon, Vicente Ladlad and Randall Echanis.

In his cross examination, Ernesto Francisco, one of the defense lawyers, asked Hermosilla if the SOCO team found evidence linking the skeletal remains to the accused, Hermosilla replied, “I don’t know.”

Hermosilla admitted that when his team arrived at crime scene, scores of soldiers, elements of Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) and civilians were already there.

When asked, he also admitted that they were not the ones who dug up the bones. Asked if he knew who did the digging, the SOCO team leader said he does not know. The digging, Hermosilla said, started on Aug. 27, 2006 and his team arrived on Aug. 29, 2006.

Herardo Hermosilla (right), head of the SOCO team that investigated the alleged crime scene in the Leyte mass graves case, looks at the pieces of evidence they presented in court.
Herardo Hermosilla (right), head of the SOCO team that investigated the alleged crime scene in the Leyte mass graves case, looks at the pieces of evidence they presented in court.
After collecting the supposed pieces of evidence, Hermosilla admitted his team turned over the skeletal remains to the military. When asked when did SOCO take custody of the skeletal remains, Hermosilla said he could not remember the exact date.

Francisco said it is the duty of the SOCO team to preserve the integrity of evidence. Hermosilla said the military took custody of the remains to show these to the relatives of victims. The defense lawyers stated earlier that the prosecution has not shown evidence proving the identity of the alleged victims.

In examining the pieces of evidence presented by the prosecution, Francisno noted that not all specimens were individually tagged, which he said is a requirement in crime scene investigation.

Francisco also noted that the plastic bags containing the alleged skeletal remains were marked 8-19-2006. Franscisco asked if this refers to the date of the digging, noting that the SOCO team supposedly arrived on Aug. 29, 2006. Hermosilla said 8-19-2006 is the case number, not a date.

Francisco also noticed there were cut markings on some of the specimen and there were small fragments which do not appear as human bones.

The Tiamzon couple maintained that the charges are fabricated by the military.

One of the defense lawyers, Rachel Pastores, said the case was “recycled.” She said five of the alleged victims, whose skeletal remains were allegedly found in Monterico village, Baybay, Leyte on June 27, 2000 were the same alleged victims in the Hilongos case, whose skeletal remains were allegedly found on August 26, 2006 in Mt. Sapang Dako, Inopacan, Leyte.

“The victims died twice and their bodies were found in two different places,” Pastores told Bulatlat in a previous interview.

The case is a product of the Inter-Agency Legal Action Group during the time of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. (https://www.bulatlat.com)

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